Janet Jones Gretzky, 1987 ***** (5 of 5 stars)
This is a 60+ minute w/o (including the final stretch) led by Janet with a large group of background exercisers. This is the 2nd w/o released by the Firm (hence Classic Volume 2) and is in the mansion set. This is definately a "leotards and legwarmers" w/o, which doesnt bother me at all. You will need a variety of dumbbells and a set of ankle weights for this w/o.
This is not a heavy sculpting workout BUT you will fatigue your muscles by the end of this bad boy! I usually start heavier and end up having to drop down in poundage just do to the shear number of reps and different upper body exercises.
The first half is mostly upper body + cardio work. You will get some lower body work in here too though. Janet NEVER stops moving! When I think of UB work I usually dont associate a heart pumping sweatfest with it but you will get that here. You do squats, side steps, pliets, lunges, and toe taps with each and every upper body move! You wil do bicep curls, military press, tricep extensions, lateral raises, overhead tricep press, delt flys, etc.
She breaks up the upper body work w/ some unweighted cardio that is straight forward and athletic-jumping jacks, marches, jogging, pliet calf pumps, and other basic cardio moves. The cardio serves as a nice "break" from the weight work for me.
At about the 30ish minute mark you go down to the floor-at this point Im always thinking "thank goodness" nope, Im wrong-time for lower body torture. You start with a kneeling lat row and move into pushups and then onto the donkey kicks with ankle weights-ouch! From there you move onto lying inner & outer thigh work and then onto an ab set comprised of crunch variations. You finish with lying chest work (pec fly, bench press, and ribcage pullovers) and then bridge work before you start your stretch.
I would rate this a low advanced workout-not "puke in the bucket" but a great nonstop thourough strength AND cardio w/o. The Firm was truly ahead of its time and this will remain a classic in my collection! (as soon as I get a new copy that is).
I remember how sad I was when my VCR ate my favorite Richard Simmons tape. Bye-bye vcr. Bye-bye Richard Simmons doing showtunes. The Broadway workout has yet to be released on dvd to my knowledge :(
ReplyDeleteLindsey - I received my PowerFit Harmony yesterday - THANK YOU! I sent you an email.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Would you believe I did Vol. 2 last year for the first time? I need to do it again :-) Sorry about your tape and VCR - I'm always wondering when mine is going to die.
For an additional entry, Mary's "coming soon" page features Body Target 60 DVD with Stephanie Vitorino.
Hi Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about your vcr eating your tape. That stinks.
Mary's coming soon dvd is Body Target 60 instructed by Stephanie Vitorino.
Hi the coming soon is "Body Target 60 DVD with Stephanie Vitorino" on Mary's site. I like Stephanie from Exercise TV.
ReplyDeleteSniff, sniff--I feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteI love Volume 2. I did it over and over and over when I was starting out. I felt so accomplished when I was done. I think the stretch at the end is hands down, my favorite ever. The music is beautiful and I always feel soo good.
When I was buying Firm, this was one of the few I bought from Anna. No regrets doing that!
Since I am a few days late, there are now some Tracie Long series listed too in *coming soon* on Mary's site.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences for your loss (vcr and vol2)
and I finally got Incredible Abs which had an incredible journey LOL